Teach less doesn't mean teach less

When we take the idea of "Teach Less, Learn More" too literally, we get the idea that there is some kind of reduction in the curriculum and that what schools were once meant to teach now becomes the burden of parents, and as a result, "slack" teaching staff.

Actually "Teach Less" doesn't mean teach less, in the sense of less content, less curriculum, i.e., less quantity. What it does mean is to stop being so full of ourselves and teaching the way teachers think they should teach, but instead look at the specific needs of our learners and teach the way our learners learn best.

The call is out for teachers to be less pedantic, less didactic and to put an end to filling our classroom time with inane teacher talk (a sin I'm quite guilty of, ha ha), and learn ourselves to be quiet, listen to what our students have to offer, give space for them to work. In other words, we teach not as authoritative, top-down "Teachers" but be fellow learners with our students, co-involved in constructing a community of learning.

This philosophy may be more difficult at some of the younger levels. It's hard to be a fellow learner if your fellow students are a bunch of 40 juvenile monkeys going stir-crazy in a crammed classroom eight hours a day. And with kids, it's important to show them who's Boss and instill in them a healthy respect (fear works too, apparently) for learning.

But at higher levels, it becomes necessary for the kids to start learning on their own. That's the time to let go and apply TLLM -- gradually.

Upgrade mania

The PM's taking flak from disgruntled e-authors over a shoot-from-the-hip response to a sensitive question posed by a young voter. What the PM said was tantamount to a bare-faced statement that wards represented by the majority party get priority when it comes to estate uprgading programmes. The implication that there is bias in assigning who gets to stand at the head of the line for the "good things" rankles an electorate that believes in the Democracy of its political system.

I wonder if I could spin a more politic reply to the question on why a non-majority ward looks rather shabbier than the majority ward next door...?

"Young man, I fully sympathize with your situation. Estate upgrading is a right of every constituency regardless of representation. Bright and shiny new covered walkways, bus stops and elevator upgrades are in high demand in all constituencies and everyone has the right to expect them.

But because they take time to complete, we can't upgrade everyone all at once. Thus, at least some estates can remain conveniently functional while others have to live with the inconvenience of dust, noise and odd detours as they undergo upgrading. Upgrades also cost a lot of money, so we have to even out the costs over time rather than spend everything in one lump sum.

As to why your estate seems to be lagging behind your neighbours', I assure you it isn't so. However, your constituency stood behind your representative's platform of less stress, slower pace of life and above all, lower cost of living. Thus it's logical that being the most frugal of voters, your constituency is the one most willing to put up with a slightly shabbier appearance for a little while longer than the others. Even if they don't look too glitzy and ultra-modern right now, it'll be a shame to replace your current facilities when they are still functional, still good, anyway.

There's no need to stress ourselves and rush things. See? Everything Singaporean voters want, no matter who represents you, your Government has already provided you with. I know you can be patient. When your facilities really need upgrading, the funds will definitely be there for you. :)"

Can I write the King's Speech, or what?

Irradiated

Japan is dumping radioactive water into the sea? I envision boatloads of comic-book fanboys crowding Japanese beaches, hoping to get bitten or stung by an irradiated sea-critter, thus gaining powers beyond the ken of mortal men.

Ooh, what's the number for the Japanese tourism agency?

It's dead, Jim

It's done. Officially killed NYeDC's IFD performance, which during last night's rehearsal started to take shape, but still not enough to be fully developed by Thursday. However, there's no stopping this show from proceeding at another special time of the year with a more compatible theme.

Edit 01:

If ever a political party needed an image consultant! What's with the NSP's uniform? The bright orange colour reminds me of US correctional facility inmates' coveralls:

Whoa, Nelly!

Once in a while, you have to rein back the kids' enthusiasm and give them a reality check. NYeDC jumped headlong into agreeing to stage an item for the upcoming IFD assembly programme while we're already neck deep in Drama Night rehearsals. If they'd let me look at the script they chose earlier, I would have said there's nothing in there remotely indicative of either "International" or "Friendship" without a serious reworking of its original intention. Not that we haven't done anything like that before, but this one especially would have taken time, certainly more than the two days remaining till curtain.

Now considering very carefully whether to do the unthinkable and pull the plug on this performance. Usually, my approach is that the show must go on, but this one...?

Among the cats

Two plush pups are what we brought back from our visit to Mdm Wong's Shelter for strays. Each plushie is worth a $10 donation towards the upkeep of the numerous dog and cat residents there.

We were supposed to partake in the open house tour this morning, but took a detour into the cattery before our group could even form up -- and spent our whole visit among the Purring Ones. The tour organizer must have wondered where his two prodigals had disappeared to.

I never knew cats could be so deprived of human affection. In every enclosure we entered, we were swarmed by cats rubbing up against our legs and meowing to be stroked and petted. No, they weren't after food or water 'cos they had that a-plenty in large plates already, just a friendly voice and a gentle hand to make them happy. And, boy, were our hands busy as cat after cat got its share of mussin' and fussin'.

A particular kitten in a cage was particularly memorable because it was so adorable. Bright-faced, striped on the back, and spotted on the belly, but sadly crippled in the hind legs. Such a feisty little monster, nonetheless, as it acted up for our attention, actually climbing the bars of his cage despite having back legs that wouldn't support it. Silly thing reached out and grabbed my finger when I wasn't looking. It sank a tiny, tiny claw beneath my skin, drawing a drop of blood. Is that cute, or what? With that kind of spirit, and Mdm Wong's care, I believe it'll regain the use of its legs again soon. Then the world better beware!

Thinking of swinging by again one of these weekends to drop off supplies and pay the inmates another visit. Any other animal-lovin' human being wanna make the trip to Pasir Ris with us?

Don't get your Hops up

I expected a lot more from 'Hop', coming from the same studio that gave us 'Despicable Me'. Maybe it's because Easter lacks the commercial mythos that Christmas has embodied so richly that there's little there to connect us with the characters in Hop. Neither the traditions nor the rituals associated with the Easter Bunny are familiar to us, so we don't really care if we don't get our Easter baskets this year. We never did, anyway.

What's left of the movie is the familiar theme of slacker sons disappointing their fathers. EB runs away from his *groan* Easter Island home to chase his rockstar dreams -- the heck with inheriting the mantle of Easter Bunny from his ageing predecessor. In Hollywood, Fred has no idea what he wants to do other than 'something great', but since nothing like that has approached him yet he remains in a perpetual state of employment limbo, which does not amuse his father [hmm... sounds familiar, heh].

When 'toon Bunny meets live-action human, we have an 'Odd Couple' pairing -- and the accompanying gags therein -- while they help sort each other out. But when Fred is mistaken for having killed EB by the no-nonsense Pink Berets, EB has to make the ultimate sacrifice to save his friend. At this point, the Prodigal Son becomes a badly (barely?)-disguised Messiah figure whose 'resurrection' facilitates reconciliation with their respective fathers.

'Hop' is mostly a series of cheap running gags (which isn't so bad in itself) but with little depth of character development. Without a serious antagonist (Carlos, the chick, is at best a distraction), both EB and Fred can only fight their fathers' aspirations for them and their own egos simultaneously, which for an animation is a bit too inward-looking. Mixing animation with live-action limits the potential for out-of-this world situational wackiness, which is what we're looking for in an animation in the first place. Lol moments there were, but they didn't really string together for me.

Too bad. The cartoon magic formula didn't happen here. Hop away, l'il bunny. No carrot for you.

Usurped!

It's a relief to get Rod finally back on board to direct Drama Night. We've never left it till so late before to begin preparations, but the kids have been matching their abilities to their ambitions and, in fact, have a plan meticulously crafted out and are determined to see it through.

In less than eight weeks, through thrice weekly evening rehearsals the show will go on. The kids have worked out exactly what they intend to accomplish at every session till curtain: recruitment, training, blocking, logistics, publicity, they've practically usurped the need for staff advisors and are running the theatre all on their own.

And we have Rod to ensure the QC and the professional experience. I like the way he works because he has a very keen eye for detail and nuance. He'll say if what the actors are offering is not working, but in a diplomatic way while suggesting other options to experiment with. Need I say, comedy is his forte? The kids are getting an education in how much hard work goes into getting laughs from the audience.

Now that I have the kids' assurance that they've taken full ownership of production, I can focus my attention on documenting their process with my trusty digicam. If I can get the publicity crew's assistance in this, so much the better. Expect more pix soon!

Like almost new

Nothing like having a freshly serviced M2 to drive around in. Fresh oil and filters, tyres rotated, wheels aligned, and a new layer of wax to make him look spiffy again. And floor mats vacuumed too -- a slight source of embarrassment for me because while I'm paying for his daily wash, that's only for the outside. Inside, I haven't bothered to maintain, so he was starting to get quite grungy where it matters most.

The main difference is that he's regained his responsiveness to the lightest touch. Have to remember to avoid my usual ham-fisted approach to gripping the wheel and stamping on the brakes. Not for the next 10,000 kliks, anyway.

Caution: contains content

It's a familiar problem: kids think all essay questions are actually the same question. Give them a set of 12 to choose from and whichever one they pick they will invariably interpret as, 'what can you recall about (topic x)?' Then they respond accordingly; with a spew of random facts about said topic and not much else.

Hence the danger of focusing too tightly on 'covering content' in our syllabus. Content is a drug we push and the kids are our willing dopeheads. Being able to memorize content gets them high because they can sense a tangible outcome from the effort expended in hoarding up this precious resource only we, the gurus on the mountain-top, can provide.

What gets them down-to-earth again is when they try to recall in an essay what we had indulgently doled out to them in class, but for their written effort we fail them for 'not answering the question'. Because they fail (at least to meet their own expectations) they crave more content, so we give them more content and it's a never ending cycle.

Conclusion: having as much content knowledge as a kid's brain can store never helped a kid answer an essay question satisfactorily. In GP (and I suspect in any other essay-based exam) the test isn't on what a kid can recall per se, but on how well the kid can use what he can recall in the most appropriate and succinct way. Therefore, by first learning the skill of addressing an essay question, the kid can make the best use of what little content knowledge he has and bring it all to bear on answering the question. Of course, the more content he has, the better substantiated his answer will be, but at least he knows how to answer the question regardless.

I'm saying this because our current kid demographic has to fulfill higher expectations than ever. In the not-too-distant-past, we were happy that they could even pass. Given enough content, most could scrape through get by. But today, our kids expect A/B 'quality grades' -- and they're capable of meeting those expectations with the right kind of training.

It's back to the old drawing board for us to design out methods that don't work for today's expectations even if they had worked well enough yesterday; and design in new methods that are needed for a new breed of kids with new expectations.

Cutting edge industry, we are!

They return with tribute

It was nice of a trio of graduated students to unexpectedly return and say 'Hi' to their former tutors early this morning. They brought a little tribute with them too, in the form of fruit, processed cocoa products and a handwritten thank-you note. Always nice to receive windfalls, but nicer to see that they've been able to take and use the skills and ideas we offer to move themselves ahead onto the next stage of their lives.

Ve haf plans...

Look what came in the mail: a 'Special Edition' of our Town Council's newsletter informing us of major upgrades to our neighbourhood yet to come. This arrived hot on the heels of news of the upcoming elections.

The campaign message is clear. The incumbents have long-term plans for our overall comfort, prosperity and property values. It's a statement of how our tax dollars are being responsibly spent and will be returned to us as a collective benefit... provided no change in the status quo.

It's hard to argue political abstractions when faced with practical, material issues put this way. Guess this marks the first salvo fired across the Opposition's bow in our constituency. I look forward to a lively debate over the next few weeks/months.

My spring break in lovely Kirkwall

Spent a few days in Kirkwall. Don't believe the vacation hype -- the place is a dump! The official leadership literally lost its head in the recent Qunari uprising, but the nobility are too weak and the people too frightened to elect a new Viscount. Meantime, the Templar military has filled in the gap and established martial law on the excuse that the local Mage Circle has lost control of its mages. Rumors fly about that mages are consorting with demons and are practicing Blood Magic, not that the two activities are mutually exclusive of each other.

Meantime, the city is overrun with Ferelden refugees fleeing their Blight. As if there weren't enough poor people on the streets as it is, these Fereldens just made the poverty index nosedive just by being here. Nowhere to go, the lucky ones will take on any kind of indentured servitude; the rest, who knows?

Accommodation is cheap, but you get what you pay for. The Hanged Man is a tavern with rooms and... that's it. The signage out front is a figure of a Templar suspended by his ankles and the whole thing swings freely in the breeze. Quite ominous, really: I never went close enough to find out if the figure was just a dummy or an actual Templar. In this part of town, I wouldn't be surprised one way or the other.

Where I stayed is also the favourite hangout of the Champion of Kirkwall and his cronies. The Champ got his title by single-handedly putting down the Qunaris I mentioned earlier. That's saying something, considering an ordinary Qunari is already huge, powerfully built and a religious fanatic to boot, but to defeat their Arishok in a duel must have been quite something to behold.

Actually, the Champ's beardless dwarf buddy tells me that the Champ ran around the arena screaming like a girl while taking occasional over-the-shoulder potshots with his magic staff until the Arishok keeled over and died. True story. Anyway, though they still get some respect around here, I think they're just another bunch of trouble makers looking for a fight. Get a job, you people!

Streets filled with marauding gangs; out-of-control militia; the occasional wave of creatures from the Stygian depths... the final straw for me was when Kirkwall experienced it's first -- and probably most spectacular -- act of terrorism that obliterated a rather important civic edifice, and presumably everyone inside at the time. With the Templars and the mages each blaming the other for abuses and atrocities of the past, this event was the excuse to openly tear into each other, engulfing their whole crappy city in the flames of civil war.

I get the feeling there are several neighbouring nations looking on very intently at all this trouble brewing in the Free Marches and are by now assessing threat, risk and opportunity...

Whatever. My bags are packed and I'm going home. Had a great time and all. kthxbye. Watch it, I'm just a tourist!!!

Project Crackdown

Ok, a delicate issue, so language will be a bit more circumspect than usual:

Head Office has identified certain unfair practices in the conduct of project appraisals. Some branch offices have been practicing unauthorized procedures to advantage themselves in the award of 'A' grade work, but in so doing have contravened the spirit of independent enterprise. Head Office has been clear in censuring such practices and hopes to level the playing field for all candidates once again.

I, for one, am appreciative of the stern action taken by Head Office. It proves to me that the higher ups really do have their heads screwed on straight. It's about time we put the emphasis back on quality rather than quantity.

The dragon's signature

Launch day for Dragon Age II! And look! I've got my paws on the Signature Edition. That's a fancy name for the Early Bird Special in which they pack into the game a few additional premiums at no cost, such as fancier armour, weapons and bonus other stuff as well.

... not that I'd necessarily find a use for every single tchotchke in the box, but it's the satisfaction of Having a bunch of additional toys to play with for free that thrills. Who knows? One or two may yet prove to be actually useful in aiding my hero's 'rise to power'. And even if I let them languish untouched in my inventory, that's my prerogative. So there.

But for now, said game lies pristine in its box. Currently too tired and too busy to start a new campaign in dragon-slaying. The pix is just for drooling over. Soon, soon...

Broadcasting 'live'

Sports Carny, and I'm stuck in the announcers' tent 'cos J2 NYeDC volunteered to be the announcers for the day. The job may sound like a cushy assignment compared to all the sweating, huffing and puffing of physical competition going on all around us, but in reality it's a frenzy of activity inside the tent too.

Apart from the many, varied and random announcements requested through the crackly walkie-talkie set; the odd staff in-charge or any other staff with some instruction or other; the students who have either found some item or lost one; and the 100 Plus vendor with the occasional reminder to keep hydrated and drink his *FREE* isotonic beverage; there had to be entertaining banter and interviews with random participants who happened to be passing within microphone range; and the lucky draw to run. Sometimes all at the same time. :p

Thankfully, the J2s this year are a strong bunch, ever hyper and willing to give their all. They took every demand in their stride, stayed cool and soldiered on through the day with unflagging spirits. Great job!

Results driven

What exactly constitutes a good result?  At today's release of 2010 'A' results, I had students bawling their eyes out. Gracie had achieved grades many others would have killed for, yet she felt she hadn't done well enough. Chiam exploded in tears 'cos (I found out later from an objective source) she did better than she'd expected.

What's 'good', I suppose, boils down to our results meeting and exceeding our own expectations in relation to what society sets up as standards of achievement. The latter being constant, the higher our expectations of ourselves the harder it becomes to be satisfied with our performance.

Was I happy, then, with my results? Because I felt my methods seriously needed vindication after last year's debacle, my expectations may have been higher than realistic... Ok, it is anomalous that I can be so concerned about results. After all, I keep espousing that the process is more important than the product, don't I? But this time I strongly believe in the process I'm developing, and so I expect to see the results.

Impartially speaking, what I got was a clear improvement from last year. But I don't exactly feel wildly ecstatic about that. I'd rate 2010 as a meh.

Teacher's remarks: Can still do better.

No happy ending

These days, I can be so tired that when I take a supine position on the floor for a shut-eye, I may not even stir for a couple of hours. Not even if Maui's taken it upon himself to give me a massage with the additional claw-extension-and-grip technique. That's a feline specialty. I know what he's been doing 'cos when I wake up, there are tiny, little holes on the skin of my stomach. Fortunately, I heal quickly.

Nepalese dining

And just like that, Jen K is flying off again in the morning. Bade her farewell with a Nepalese dinner at Shish Mahal (Albert Court). It was quite an economical meal comprising naan, tandoori chix, mutton kurma, vegetable pakoras and a spinach dish. Conclusion: Nepalese food isn't much different from regular Indian fare.

Must commend the with-a-smile service. Very warm and obliging, prompt too.

Long-overdue reunion

These past few weekends, we've been taking Q-tip to the Botanic Gardens for fresh air and exercise. Good that every time we go, she's able to walk a little further without getting tired.

Today, this water monitor decided to go for a little stroll too.

The reunion at this table was literally between old friends who haven't seen each other in years! With Jen K flying in for a rare visit, it was the one opportunity for us all to drop everything and catch up.

Quite possibly the last lo hei of the year for us. It's no longer CNY, after all.

Signage at the kopitiam: No Food, No Drinks, No Cross-Species Hanky-Panky. Wait, what...?